Deck Review: The Forager’s Daughter Tarot
Having seen it in a few other people’s collections, I initially decided to get the Forager’s Daughter Tarot (Afterlight Edition) because I really liked the concept of it as an artwork (as opposed to thinking I’d necessarily work with it a lot). I was not disappointed – the art in this deck, and the quality of the cards, really is stunning. If you collect Tarot/pretty, clever things then this deck is a really worthwhile addition to your collection. The artist and creator, Jesscia Lei Howard grew up surrounded by nature (a forager’s daughter!), and it is this love for the natural world, and the gifts it gives us, that is…
Deck Review: The WayHome Tarot
I got the WayHome Tarot after it had sat on my wishlist for a little while. I was a bit uncertain about it, and now I own it I do find it a bit of a mixed bag. I feel some of Autumn Whitehurst‘s art, while gorgeous, is internally incongruent and it gives a haphazard vibe to the deck I don’t always connect to. But there are so many cards where the imagery is so clever that I am OBSESSED. Simple. Perfect. On point. You can tell the co-creator, Bakara Wintner, has a deep affinity with the message of the Tarot, and she has an uncanny knack for making difficult…
Deck Review: The Everyday Enchantment Tarot
The Everyday Enchantment Tarot is a mass market deck that is readily available (either new or secondhand) from a range of online retailers . I’ve linked to W. H. Smith’s here, as they’re slightly less horrifying than Bezos’s Evil Empire, but it’s available from a whole range of sites. It’s really different from the style I usually like, but I was totally in awe of how amazingly the creator has managed to interpret some of the minor arcana cards through her artwork. I looked at some of the images and was like “yes, that’s it! That’s it exactly. That perfectly captures the mood of that card”. It was like I…
Deck Review: The Botan Tarot
The Botan Tarot by Addi Miyako is just super beautiful, really dreamy and soft, like falling into a bed of petals. I was really lucky to come across a reasonably priced secondhand copy, as at the time the deck OOP. The artist has now launched a second edition which you can (pre)order here (UK) as well as some other online stores (please check the artist’s webpage for authorised stocklists). The Deck: Look, Feel, and Finish The deck comes in a simple but stunning deep purple slipcase/shell and slide box, and the cards are then further held by a lovely peach ribbon. My one tiny quibble with the box is that…
Deck Review: The Twice Told Tarot
I fell in love with the Twice Told Tarot when I saw it on Kickstarter last year, and immediately backed it. Created by Travis McHenry, alongside artist David Scaglione, its quirky style really appealed to me. Unfortunately the Kickstarter was cancelled – boo. But then the deck was included as a possible add-on to McHenry’s next project, the True Oracle of Nostradamus – hooray! So I bought the TOoN just to get my hands on the Twice Told Tarot (as I thought that would be the only way to get hold of a copy). Turns out you can currently pick up a copy via the Bloodstone Studios online store –…
Deck Review: The Curious Travels Tarot Deck
I sadly missed the Kickstarter for the Curious Travels Tarot Deck by Arozear (Amelia ‘Mia’ Rozear) 💔. But then discovered the artist was releasing a mass market version with US Games ♥️ (NB the mass market version is now available, and you can buy it through a variety of retailers, e.g. here). Even better, they then did one last print run of the indie version, which I managed to get hold of. This made me v v v v v happy as I’ve had my heart broken before by missing out on the indie versions of gorgeous decks. My only sorrow is not being able to get one of the…
Deck Review: The Healing Waves Tarot
The Healing Waves Tarot is currently out of print after a limited run, and I was after it for aaaaaages before I found a secondhand copy that wasn’t gougingly expensive (it was still pretty pricey though!). It’s definitely worth snapping up if you can find a reasonably priced secondhand copy. Otherwise you can join me in hoping that the creator, Nawan Junhasiri, does a second print run and/or works with a mass market publisher to release a prêt-à-tarot version [UPDATE: see postscript at end of post for more info, this sadly seems very unlikely]. Unfortunately the guide book is only available as a passcode locked pdf, and as I bought…
Deck Review: Out of Hand Tarot Deck
First up, I should say that I love all of (the incredibly talented) Jamie Sawyer‘s decks, and this one is no exception. It’s a companion deck to the Pocket of Peers Tarot, but works just fine as a standalone deck. Jamie worked (and still occasionally works) as a tattoo artist before designing Tarot decks, and you can definitely see the influence of ‘tattoo style’ art in her drawings, which I love. The deck is (mainly) first person POV of hands engaged in activities that speak to the original themes of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. It’s very wry and clever, but also super wholesome and comforting. Packed full of Easter Eggs, working…
Deck Review: Queer Revolution Tarot
The Queer Revolution Tarot is a Kickstarter deck I recently backed by Utah-based artist Kate Wilhite. Salt Lake City (and its inhabitants), which we see throughout this deck, is the real star of the show. Wilhite writes about her art: “because the state is religiously oppressive, queer and trans people tend to collect in the city, creating a queer bubble where we can live authentically and safely. I paint people in my community who live between binaries as a way to explore my own identity and to show the world how beautiful queer radical authenticity is.” What shines through in this deck is the love and kinship the artist feels…
Deck Review: The Tarot of Oneness
The Tarot of Oneness by Robyn Voisey arrived when I was going through a rough time due to a bereavement, and I really appreciated its gentle, healing energy. I um-ed and ahh-ed over backing it on Kickstarter when I first saw it, as it’s not my usual bag of tea. Too kitschy, too twee, too happy-clappy; the images too hyper-realistic. But I am so glad I did, because it reads like a freakin’ dream. SO intuitive. It doesn’t so much speak to me, as sing me a personalised love song. The Deck: Look, Feel, and Finish It really is such a bright, joyous deck (look at those colours!). It’s all…
